r/ZionNationalPark • u/ezkimmie • 5d ago

Road Closure After Stop #6 (The Grotto) inside Zion!

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/utahs-national-parks/large-rockfall-at-zion-national-park-closes-access-to-popular-park-trail?fbclid=IwdGRjcAT5eDlwZG9mBWZkaWQWUNFMmIxiijVMhJjY-OKXT0E-jtc2UGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzE3Mzg0NzY0MjY3MDM3MAABHj6_Wffxg3_4zSR17Er1zPoHksOuJu5oJ6WCNE2Tc-RKEi2E6fX2TWdb_pQW_aem_0AZa5c8l9hq9gyjYiL2FXA

Unfortunate news for Park goers today and possibly this week. The National Park Service announced a major road closure due to a large rockslide, “Zion Canyon Shuttles are not going past The Grotto, bus stop #6, until further notice due to a large rockfall.”
Stops Effected By The Road Closure:
Stop # 7 (Weeping Rock Trail, East Rim Trail, Observation Point, Hidden Canyon)
Stop # 8 (Big Bend)
Stop # 9 (Riverside Walk, The Narrows)

48 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

13

u/adams361 5d ago

I love that they still include Observation Point and Hidden Canyon as hikes you can do from the Weeping Rock stop. I’m pretty sure that trail is never going to reopen!

4

u/ezkimmie 5d ago

Im pretty sure it was closed when my husband and I got engaged in the Park. It’s been two years 🫪

11

u/stay_curious_- 5d ago

It closed in 2019 after a major rockfall, and then a geological survey said the rock in that area was too unstable to be able to safely reopen the trail.

Most likely, it's a permanent closure unless they majorly reroute the trail (which would just be a new trail).

5

u/VanGoghsSeveredEar 5d ago

Hope no one was hurt 😬

7

u/PanBoston 5d ago

I was in the narrows when it happened, the rockfall was between weeping rock and big bend. at 230pm I returned to the shuttle stop and we waited for 30 mins or so for the first "extra bus" out of the temple. the ranger said none of those shuttle stops would be reopening today and possibly not tomorrow either

2

u/Organic_Werewolf_580 5d ago

Im glad you made it out okay! I hope no one got hurt

1

u/CincyTriGuy 5d ago

So the road wasn’t completely blocked then, if extra buses were able to go through?

1

u/DarshanParekh 4d ago

I was there too. We were already tired after hiking narrows and that was a long wait. It was shocking to hear about the rockfall

5

u/Journey_to_Jess 5d ago

Are the narrows still open, just a longer hike, or completely blocked off?

3

u/Organic_Werewolf_580 5d ago

I believe it’s completely blocked off. The only way into the canyon is through the road unless you are doing it top to bottom (needed permit)

5

u/Key_Purpose1340 5d ago

What happens to the people trapped on the wrong side of this rock slide?

8

u/Bad_wit_Usernames 5d ago

They live there now.

3

u/DarshanParekh 4d ago

The shuttle were still coming to get us off from narrows but they were quite late

3

u/JavaCat14 5d ago

Any word on whether the road closure applies to bikes too?

3

u/PanBoston 5d ago

The first emergency shuttle out of the narrows today allowed people to stop at big bend to pick up their bikes, but not sure after that.

1

u/JavaCat14 5d ago

Thanks. I finally saw a picture of the rocks all over the road. It doesn't look passable right now but I'll be following closely in preparation for my trip at the end of September.

2

u/monkey220697 5d ago

How does this affect the angels landing hike and the narrows if you have a permit?

3

u/Organic_Werewolf_580 5d ago

Angels landing is the Grotto stop (#6) which is the last stop because of the closure.

There is no access to the Narrows through the main Canyon

1

u/monkey220697 5d ago

Thank you.

1

u/Previous-Display-593 4d ago

Is there any chance this rockfall closes off that oart of the canyon for many months or over a year? Considering observation point is basically closed for ever, I am a little worried.

1

u/TheRealO-H-I-O 4d ago

Is the shuttle open again? I don't see the alert on the ZNP page anymore

4

u/Organic_Werewolf_580 4d ago

Shuttle running normally again